[Questionnaire survey about an anesthesia information sheet].

BACKGROUND

The anesthesia information sheet used in our hospital describes the anesthetic management and complications in a simple style. Patients scheduled for operations receive it from their doctor with some explanation about anesthesia. The written informed consent on the sheet is obtained from the patients.

METHODS

One hundred and one patients undergoing elective operations were interviewed after receiving explanations during the anesthesiologist's preoperative rounds.

RESULTS

From this survey, 85% of the patients read it before the anesthesiologist's preoperative rounds and 75% of them understood the contents. After the anesthesiologist's explanation, 94% of the patients who had read it understood enough. About a third of the patients who had read the information sheet had anxiety about anesthesia. After the anesthesiologist's explanation, the percentage of patients who had anxiety decreased to 8%. 98% of the patients who read the information sheet answered that it should be read before the anesthesiologist's preoperative rounds.

CONCLUSIONS

In view of this survey we concluded that reading the information sheet before the anesthesiologist's preoperative rounds is useful to increase the patients understanding of anesthesia.